"Alaskan Odyssey" Aboard the Freedom Machine: Things Don't Always Go As We Planned

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Things Don't Always Go As We Planned

Well, here it is 2:00 a.m. Saturday morning and guess who's downing Mt. Dew and turning wrenches as if he was headed for Alaska or something. Even I'm beginning to wonder if this plane's ever going to make it off the ground.

Although I'm getting started a couple days later than expected, I know it's best for the trip. I've always heard the comment made that "The Devil's in the Details" and man have I come to believe in that statement. I guess there was just more last minute preparation than I had counted on.

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Learn About the Blog: This blog is intended to serve as a journal for my 2008 Alaskan Adventure. It's my way of sharing a six week odyssey with as many friends and family as possible. Please take a moment to learn how to use it's features.

How to Use the Blog Tools: You will find that new map tools have been added to enhance your ability to follow along the journey. In the upper left corner of each map are zoom and tilt controls allowing you to move around without leaving the blog site. You can also left click and drag the map around for the desired view.

As before, you can still click on any picture to enlarge to full screen and the esc. key will return you to the blog when completed viewing full screen.

How to Leave Comments: Anyone can send comments by clicking on the word "comments" at the bottom of each post. Ignore the part that looks as if you're required to have a username and password, as it isn't necessary.

When the comment window opens, type in your message. Scroll down and click on "name/URL" and fill in your name before clicking on the publish button at the bottom. *A couple of things to remember: If you type in Bob or John, I don't really have a clue which Bob/John you are, so give me something (a last name, initial, etc,) so I can appreciate who it's coming from. If you don't want me to publish your comment, tell me so in your note and it'll remain private between you and I.

About The Trip: The trip will begin in Jackson, Michigan and I'll be leave Michigan by way of the Upper Peninsula. Then across Hwy #2 through Duluth, Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and into Glacier National Park in northwest Montana.I'll enter Canada through the Blood Indian Reservation and work my way up through the Icefields Parkway above Banff and Lake Louise in British Columbia before connecting with the Alaskan Highway at Dawson Creek.

The route will continue to weave through BC, Alberta, and the Yukon Territories to Dawson City, Yukon. Ferry Across the Mighty Yukon river and ride the 100 mile stretch of dirt along the "Top of the World Hwy" to Chicken, Alaska where I'm told there's a salmon hotdog waiting that is to die for.

Then it's on to Fairbanks where I'll leave out north toward the Arctic Ocean. After about 70 miles of the Elliott Hwy, I'll connect with the 414 mile North Slope Haul Road to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska and the Arctic Ocean. Also known as the Dalton Hwy, the Haul Road is primarily dirt/gravel road with a couple of relatively short paved sections intemittently placed along the way.

After leaving the Prudhoe Bay, I'll travel to Denali National Park before meeting up with some snowmobiling buddies who will be flying into Soldotna, AK for a fishing trip.Then back down through the Inside Passage through Haines, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan and docking into Prince Rupert, British Columbia-Canada. From there I'll ride down through the western side of BC into eastern Washington state and Idaho Montana, etc to home.

Reasons for the Trip: Why Prudhoe Bay and the Arctic Ocean? There are actually three reasons, two of which I will mention on this blog and one which will remain private.

1. I have wanted for many years to say I had ridden a bike to Alaska. I wanted to know that I had gone as far north as one can travel by road on the entire North American continent.

2. As some of you know, many of us lost a friend when Michael Boulton passed unexpectedly a couple of years ago. What many of you may not know is that Mike always wanted, but was never able, to make it as far north as the Arctic Ocean.

I have promised his wife Loretta to get part of his cremated remains to a place he always wanted to visit. I will do everything I can to make good on my promise. If I'm successful, may he rest in peace and enjoy a view of the Arctic region. I only wish I had a bag full of "bearons" to cast to the wind along with him. A few of you will know what that means.

About Me: We are all different, thank goodness, but those of us who ride motorcycles have one thing in common: we are consciously willing, at least on some level, to accept some risk. In a society that places so much emphasis on trying to protect us from ourselves, the motorcycle is somewhat an obvious symbol of rebellion. Haaaaa..........yeah, I said it out loud.

You see, the motorcycle is the perfect vehicle for adventure, capable of exploring places previously off limits to the automobile traveler. I began riding motorcycles at the age of 14 and except for a few short pauses, never really stopped.

For over twenty years I've had the dream of riding a motorcycle to Alaska. I had no interest in hauling it there, it had to ridden there and back. I began planning this trip over two years ago and I must say, the planning phase has been more exciting than I could have imagined.

About Communication: With as much camping as I intend to do, internet access will be very limited and intermittent. Unfortunately, my itenerary will not allow much time for emailing each of my friends individually. The primary reason for this blog was to use it as a communications tool for sharing my trip with as many people as possible versus attempting to email each of you. I hope everyone can understand.

Comments are welcome and will be moderated only when necessary. Thanks for taking a look and I hope you enjoy the pictures. Much of anything else will have to wait until I return. Wish me luck.

Mack

"Alaskan Odyssey" Aboard the Freedom Machine

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Things Don't Always Go As We Planned

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